New innovation to increase computing efficiency has exploded over the past decade. No longer does all of your information have to be stored on a hard drive, but instead cloud computing has enabled companies to operate applications in the cloud with a much lower carbon footprint. Read on to learn more about how companies are shifting to the cloud to reduce carbon emissions and a new mapping tool that uses Big Data to help businesses identify new opportunities for clean energy investment.

What if scientists could visualize changes to the planet’s climate over time in order to better understand the sources of human-caused climate change today? A scientist at the University of California at Santa Barbara (USCB) is turning to ChronoZoom...

Today, cities house 50 percent of the world’s population, and according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), they are predicted to house 80 percent by 2050. Urban areas are also responsible for 60 to 80 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. That’s led many to ask how we can reduce emissions without compromising quality of life. Read on to learn more about how Big Data-enabled ‘Energy 3.0’ and the wisdom of crowds can help cities become more sustainable.

Last week we announced a 20-year deal to purchase wind energyin Texas as part of our commitment to powering our datacenters from cleaner energy sources. But designing datacenters that use less energy is still a top priority for Microsoft.

That’s why our Global Foundation Services team, in partnership with Microsoft Research, is exploring a proof-of-concept datacenter that would integrate fuel cells directly into the server racks of the datacenter. This effectively brings the power plant inside the datacenter and has the potential to double the efficiency of traditional datacenters.

Sustainability and finance are beginning to merge thanks to a couple of new and innovative programs coming from Wall Street. Whether it’s valuing the carbon sequestration potential of a rainforest in Ecuador or helping investors gain more green returns, the finance sector is pioneering innovative approaches to sustainability. Read on to learn more about the possibility of an online natural asset exchange to value natural and social assets and Morgan Stanley’s new Institute for Sustainable Investing to enable its clients to invest in renewable energy and livable communities.